Antipendulous gyrocompass



Aug. 20, 1929. H. TANNER ANTIPHNDULOUS GYROCOMPASS Original Filed Nov. 19. 1918 2 SheetS SheQt- I 1 1 1 z I 1 1 z 1 I r I I I I I I 1 I I I I I I 4 I N Y 1525,1531,iii

gvwemtoz RRYLZ INNER A l! 2 19 H. L. TANNER ,317

ANTIPENDULOUS GYROCOMPASS Original Filed Nov. 19. 1918 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l /HHRYLTINNER.

Patented Aug 20, 1929,.

UNITED I STATES I 1,725,317 PATENT. OFFICE.

HARRY L. TANNER, OF BROOKLYN NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MFBNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO SBERRY'GYBDSGOPE COMPANY, INC., A CORPORATION 01 NEW YORK.

ANTIPENDULOUS GY ROOOMPASS.

Original application filed November 19, 1918, Serial No. 263,118, and in Great Britain November 19, 1819. Divided and this application filed November 25, 1921. Serial No. 517,491.

This invention relates to gyroscopic compasses of the general type disclosed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 263,118 for Improvements in Gyroscopic Compasses, filed November 19th, 1918, of which this application is a division. In said application, I disclose a new form of gyroscopic compass, in which the sources of errors due to the rolling and pitching of the ship are entirely eliminated, by making the compass substantially balanced about its horizontal axis of oscillation and mounting the same in unstable equilibrium, so that whenever the compass becomes displaced from its position of equilibrium, a gravitational torque will be exerted thereon, thus imparting to the compass meridian seeking properties.

Specifically,-this application relates to a form of this type of compass, in which the aforesaid result is secured by the manner of mounting the gyroscopic element, rather than by the employment of heavy liquids, such as mercury, associated with the compass, which is the specific form claimed in the aforesaid application.

Referring to the drawings in which what- I now consider to be the preferred forms of my invention are shown;

Fig. 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, of my gyroscopic compass, as mounted within the supporting gimbals and bowl.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the gyroscopic element proper.

Fig. 3 is-a detail section showing the form of mercury cups used to introduce current into the gyroscope.

Fig. 4 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2 showing a modified form of damping reservoir.

The yfoscope as shown in Fig. 1 is mounted upon a base 1 to which is secured a bowl 2 which supports the gimbal rings 3 and 4 of the compass. The bowl is shown covered by a curved glass top 5 secured in a met-a1 ring 6 in which ventilating holes 7 are provided. The inner ring 4 supports on horizontal pivots 8 and 9 a frame work 10. Said frame supports the gyroscope '-proper for rotation about the vertical axis by an suitable means. For this purpose 1 have s own an annular bowl 11 supported. on a plate 12 held by bracket arms 13. Said bowl is designed to contain mercury or other suitable liquid with which to support the annular hollow float member 14. Said float 1s secured at its center to the plate 15 which supports the vertical stem 16 of the compass.

Said stem may be journalled in radially disbrushes down the central stem 16 thence I through cable 100 to junction box 101. Said box-is'provided with a plurality of mercury troughs 102 into-which contacts 103 secured to casing 25 dip. (See Fig. 3.)' From the contacts, a cable 104 leads into the casing throu h the shaft 26.

Wit in the vertical ring 22, I support the gyro casing 25 by special means, in order that the same may possess the desired meridian seeking characteristics and at the same time be perfectly balanced in its normal position. For this purpose, 1 have pivoted on horizontal pivots 23, 24, within the ring 22, an intermediate supporting ring 48, which in turn carries the gyro casin 25 on horizontal pivots 49, 50. The axis of pivots 23, 24, preferably passes through or very near the center of gravity of the gyro casing and the axis of pivots 49, 50 preferably lies normally above and in the same vertical plane as axis 23, 24 and parallel to the same.

The ring 48 and the gyro casing 25 are connected by a slowly yielding means, such as dash pot 51, shown as secured to the gyro casing and the dash pot piston and piston rod 52, shown as pivoted at 53 to the ring 48. Preferably, the ring and the gyro casing are also connected by centralizing springs 54 and 55 extending between an arm 56 which depends from said ring and brackets 57 and 58, secured to the gyro casing. Preferably also, fixed stops 59 and 60 are secured to said casing and against which the extension 56 is adapted to strike upon the inclination of the gyro casing exceeding a predetermined amount. The action of this mounting of the gyroscope is substantially as follows: As long as the gyroscope is on the meridian and level, the springs and dash pot will hold the-pivots 49 and 50 directly above the pivots 23 and 24. The ring and casing will be in fact rigidly coupled by the dash pot for all disturbances of short period so that the casing will oscillate in effect about the axis 23 and 24, which is substantially in line with its center of gravity. .On prolonged inclination of the gyroscope, however, the dash pot and piston will gradually yield, allowing the ring 48 of the casing to fall in effect to the low side of the casing thus displacing the center of gravity of the system, so that the gravity will tend to tip the gyroscope over in the direction of the original displacement. The gyroscope there fore behaves somewhat as a top heavy gyroscope and normally rotates in the opposite direction to the earth when on the meridian. As the source of inclination is removed the centralizing springs 54 and will slowlyreturn the gyro to its position of equilibrium. The rolling and pitching of the ship will have substantially no effect on the gyroscope, since as stated, the dash pot is constructed to move very slowly and will act as a rigid connection for rapid oscillations of the gyroscope.

lVithin the casing 25 and adjacent the periphery of the rotor I provide a passageway 35 leading to a closed receptacle 36 which is preferably centrally situated. 1 From each end of said receptacle, lead pipes 37 and 38,

which are respectively connected with receptacles 39 and 40 mounted on either side of the system. The action of the damping means is as follows: The system is partially filled with oil. As the rotor revolves, the oil will be thrown out along the rotor tothe periphery thereof and from there carried over to the surrounding casing. The rotor may be provided with holes to permit oil on the interior thereof to escape to the exterior. A film of oil will hence circulate around the interior of the casing while thepassageway' 35 will serve to lead off a portion of said circulating oil into the reservoir 36. As long as the casing is horizontal, the oil from the reservoir 36 will flow with equal velocity through the pipes 37 and 38 into the receptacles 39 and 40, whence it will flow back'intothe bearings. In case the gyroscope should begin to rise, however, it will. be seen that,

- owing to the fact that the pipes 37 and 38 ment permitted by dash pot 51, so that the two speedily become out of phase whereby a maximum damping effort is secured. This effect is also produced by the difference in the design of the two systems.

In the case of receptacle 36 andreservoirs 39 and 40, oil will'continue to flow at a greater rate from receptacle 36 into the higher reservoir after the gyroscope starts to descend and until it passes its mid-position.

In Fig. 4-, a modified method of causing the oil to flow to the high side of the casing is illustrated. In this figure, instead of crossing the pipes 37 and 38 to the opposite side of the casing, two pipes 37 and 38 run into the containers 39 and to adjacent the ends of the receptacle 36 from which the respective pipes lead. within said container is placed a plurality of balls 46 which are free to roll from one side of the reservoir to the other. The balls are so arranged that when they roll to the low side of the casing, they will close the opening 47 leading to the adjacent pipe 37 for instance, as illustrated in Fig. l, so that the greater part of the oil circulating through the system will go into the receptacle 40 while the balls roll in the opposite direction and a similar action talrcs place when the gyroscope is oppositely inclined. It will readily be seen that substantially the same result is obtained by this method as by means of Figs. 1 and 2.

In accordance with the provisions of the loo patent statutes, 1 have herein described the gether with the apparatus, which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other means. Also, while it is designed to use the various features and elements in the combinations and relations described, some of these may be altered and others omitted without interfering with the more general results outlined, and the invention extends to such use.

Having herein described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is, I

1. In a gyroseopic compass, the combination with a frame mounted for rotation about a vertical axis, a member pivotally mounted in said frame about a horizontal axis, a gyro-casing pivotally mounted in said member about an axis parallel to and normally in the same vertical plane as said other horizontal axis whereby on inclination of the gyroscope said last named axis is displaced to one side of said vertical plane.

2. In a gyroscopic apparatus, the combination with a support, a member supported thereon for oscillation about an axis, a rotor and rotor bearing frame supported for oscillation on said member about an axis parallel to and above said first named axis, a slowly yieldable coupling and a central- {)zing coupling between said frame and mem-v 3. In gyroscopic apparatus, the combination with a support, a member supported thereon for oscillation'about an axis, a rotor and rotor bearing frame supported for oscillation on said member about an axis parallel toy and above said first named axis and resilient centralizing means connecting said member and frame.

4. In a gyroscopic' compass, a gyro-casing and rotor, means for mounting the same for oscillation about a horizontalaxis in a subsaid means whenever said pivots become relatively displaced from said vertical.

5. In gyroscopic apparatus, the combination with a support, a member supported thereon for oscillation about an axis, a rotor and rotor bearing frame supported for oscil lation on said member aboutan axis parallel to the first mentioned axis, a slowly yieldable coupling and a centralizing coupling between said frame and member, and means brought into action upon inclination of the gyroscope for causing said member to} rotate about said first axis in the same angular direction as ,theexisting inclination. I

6. In a gyroscopic compass, a gyroscopic element, means for mounting the same for oscillation with its center of ravity normally at or' near its center of oscillation, said mounting means permitting the shifting of the relative positions of the original center of gravity and center of oscillation of said gyroscope when the latter becomes inclined. I

7. In a gyroscopic compass, a gyrosco ic element, means for mounting the same or oscillation with its center of gravity normally at or near its center of oscillation, said mounting means permitting the shifting, to the low side of the gyroscope, of the relative positions of the center of gravity and original center of oscillation of said gyroscope when the latter becomes inclined.

8. In a gyroscopic apparatus, the combination with a support, a member supported thereon for oscillation about an axis, a rotor and rotor bearing frame supported for oscillation on said member about an axis parallel to and above said first named axis, resilient centralizing means connecting said-member and frame, andmeans for retarding any oscillation of said frame in said mounting.

9. In a gyroscopic compass, a gyroscopic element, means for mounting the same for oscillation with its center of gravity fliormally at or near its center of oscillation, and yielding means connecting said gyroscope and mounting means, said yielding means normally acting to maintain said center of gravity at the original center of oscillation but permitting the shifting of the relative positions of the center of gravity and original center of oscillation of said gyroscope when the latter becomes inclined.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature. 1

HARRY L. TANNER. 

